The clients were keen to use colour, so Rebecca highlighted certain areas with bold statements. The back of the bookcases in the hallway, by the bay window where the vicar would once have penned his sermons, are painted in Farrow & Ball’s fiery ‘Charlotte’s Locks’, and the light-filled space now serves as a reading nook. The colour is echoed on the nearby kitchen island and around the front door. ‘That shade in particular was quite personal to the family, both around the name and because their son has the most gorgeous red hair,’ remarks Rebecca. There is even a nod to the nursery school’s original colour scheme with Farrow & Ball’s lively ‘Arsenic’ used for the pantry’s cabinets. ‘We kept a little final hurrah for that,’ laughs Rebecca.
The kitchen dining area opens onto the garden, which is ideal in the summer.
Dave Watts
Elsewhere in the former vicarage, drenching the rooms in neutral tones proved effective in muting some of the original architectural features. The fireplace in the TV snug, for instance, was considered too imposing by the new owners. But by wrapping it in the same colour as the walls (‘Clove’ by Edward Bulmer) and diverting furniture away rather than towards it, Rebecca has ensured it is not the main focus. ‘It really helps to soften it,’ she says, explaining that she would never have entertained getting rid of it.
What was once a riotous playroom is now an elegant yet practical kitchen. Rebecca designed the units specifically to house the client’s collection of ceramics, table linen and cookware. Made to specification by a local joiner, the cabinets don’t run from wall to wall, ‘to give them space to breathe and appear more like furniture as opposed to a standard kitchen’, she explains. Meanwhile, a newly created opening onto the garden fitted with traditional french windows helps to foster a better connection with the outside.
As a nod to the green used when the house was a nursery school, Rebecca had the pantry units painted in ‘Arsenic’ by Farrow & Ball. The wallpaper is ‘Bougainvillea’ by Cole & Son.
Dave Watts
In the laundry room, Howdens units are enlivened by Farrow & Ball’s fiery ‘Bamboozle’. Out of sight, there is a handy chute that allows for the quick and easy transport of laundry from upstairs.
Dave Watts